Waste Management

CONTEXT

“Marine litter is an environmental, economic, health and aesthetic problem. It can cause death to wildlife and threaten marine and coastal biodiversity. Some 8 million items of marine litter have been estimated to enter the sea every day.” [1]

Fednav is committed to continually minimizing generation of solid and liquid wastes onboard its vessels, reusing, recycling, and practicing proper waste disposal in accordance with national and international regulations. [2]

POLICY

Owned vessels

1. Sewage: All sewage onboard Fednav-owned vessels is processed through an approved biological sewage treatment plant. In the event of a temporary failure of the treatment plant, the sewage can be directed to a permanent or temporary holding tank. The performance of the sewage treatment plant is tested at regular intervals in accordance with the Great Lakes Industry Voluntary Testing Program for Marine Sanitation Deviceand/or more stringent procedures. All owned and time-chartered vessels are provided with a summary of the sewage and grey water regulations for Canada and the United States (Great Lakes) to ensure awareness of the requirements and the no-discharge zones.

2. Garbage: Owned vessels are equipped with a Garbage Management Plan in accordance with Annex V of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and onboard training takes place to ensure that all crew members are aware of the requirements for proper garbage management. Instructions are given to minimize garbage generation and garbage segregation is done at source. Vessels are instructed to request suppliers to limit the use of plastic packing materials whenever possible and disposed of any lining and packing materials from ship supply at the port reception facilities whenever feasible.

3. Newbuildings and retrofitting: All new owned vessels constructed for the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes trade are fitted with extra storage capacity for sewage treated water and grey water considering the length of voyages at sea and the increased number of no-discharge zones. Existing vessels dedicated to this trade are also being modified to increase the storage capacity.

4. Incinerator and shore disposal: Onboard incinerators are used for waste items not recommended for recycling. Incinerators are not to be used in ports, harbours, or estuaries. Necessary financial resources are dedicated to shore-based disposal of solid and liquid wastes. This is to ensure that vessels do not hesitate to proceed with disposal ashore whenever needed.

Time chartered vessels

1. Environmental, Quality, and Safety Inspection (EQSI): Vessels under Fednav tonnage are regularly inspected by an independent third party and detailed inspection reports are provided to Fednav under an Environmental, Quality, and Safety Inspection (EQSI) system. The scope of this inspection extent to maintenance and functioning of the sewage treatment plants on board time chartered vessels as well as to garbage management practices. Vessels of concern are inspected on a more regular basis and Fednav closely monitors the implementation of corrective measures by the owners. [3]

[2] These include but are not limited to Annex V of MARPOL, which regulates the disposal of garbage from vessels, Annex IV of MARPOL, which regulates the prevention of pollution from sewage from ships, the Canadian Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals, and the relevant American requirements (e.g., no-discharge zones for the Great Lakes), etc.

[3] Although Fednav has set up this inspection system to assist in ensuring the quality of vessels time chartered under its fleet, owners of these vessels remain responsible for navigation, crewing and compliance with international, national and local pollution prevention regulations.